Rare oarfish aka ‘doomsday fish’ caught in Tamil Nadu sparks rumours about an impending calamity; should you be worried?

However, before delving into the folklore surrounding this enigmatic fish, it’s crucial to address what modern science tells us. A 2019 study published in the Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America analysed decades of data and found no statistically significant link between sightings of deep-sea fish, such as oarfish, and earthquakes in Japan, effectively debunking the scientific basis for their so-called ‘doomsday’ reputation.

The study analysed data collected between November 1928 and March 2011, focusing on instances where deep-sea fish were spotted 10 to 30 days before earthquakes struck within a 50 to 100 kilometer radius of the sightings. Researchers found only one event that could have been plausibly correlated, out of 336 fish sightings and 221 earthquakes in Japan. “As a result, one can hardly confirm the association between the two phenomena,” the authors write in the BSSA paper.

The science behind the sighting

The creature captured in Tamil Nadu is a giant oarfish (Regalecus glesne), the world’s longest bony fish, which can reach lengths of up to 36 feet (11 meters). These remarkable creatures typically inhabit the mesopelagic zone, dwelling 660 to 3,300 feet beneath the ocean’s surface, where sunlight barely penetrates.

The silvery, ribbon-like fish with its distinctive red crest-like dorsal fin is rarely seen by humans due to its deep-water habitat. They are thin and slow due to their lack of muscles and generally swim vertically in the ocean. When oarfish do surface, it’s typically because they are sick, disoriented, dying, or occasionally breeding—not because they’re fleeing from impending seismic activity, according to Ocean Conservancy, a nonprofit environmental advocacy group based in the United States.

Ancient beliefs 

The ‘doomsday fish’ reputation stems from ancient Japanese folklore, where oarfish are called ‘ryugu no tsukai,’ meaning ‘messenger from the sea god’s palace.’ This belief gained international attention following several notable coincidences, particularly the 2010 incident when multiple dead oarfish washed ashore in Japan months before the devastating 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami that led to the Fukushima nuclear disaster.

More recently, these coincidences have continued to fuel superstitions. In August 2024, a 12-foot oarfish was discovered near San Diego just two days before an earthquake struck Los Angeles, adding to the mystique surrounding these deep-sea dwellers.

A global phenomenon

The Tamil Nadu sighting is part of a concerning trend of increased oarfish appearances worldwide. In recent months, these rare creatures have been spotted in various locations, including Mexico, Tasmania, and California. 

This uptick in sightings has led to increased speculation about environmental factors, with some experts suggesting that climate change, ocean warming, or changes in deep-sea ecosystems might be driving these creatures to shallower waters.

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